The present invention relates to a side-supporting sunshade and, more particularly, to a side-supporting sunshade having a canopy that can be folded or unfolded easily.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,156 discloses a sunshade including a supporting rod, a canopy supporting frame, and a canopy. An adjusting sleeve is slideably mounted around the supporting rod. A holding sleeve is pivotally connected to an upper end of the supporting rod. An arcuate tube is slideably extended through the holding sleeve. An elbow is mounted to an end of the arcuate tube, and a reel is mounted to the other end of the arcuate tube. A connecting rod is connected between the other end of the arcuate tube and the adjusting sleeve. An anchor is releasably engaged in an anchor room in the elbow to reliably retain the canopy support frame in a desired tilting angle relative to the supporting rod. However, formation of the arcuate tube by bending a metal tube is troublesome. Furthermore, the adjusting sleeve and the arcuate tube must be moved when adjustment of the tilting angle of the canopy support frame is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,341,068 discloses a side-supporting umbrella including a collar slideably mounted on a mast that supports a canopy. An end of a supporting arm of the canopy is pivotally connected to the collar. A connecting brace has an end pivotally connected to an upper end of the mast. The other end of the connecting brace is pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of the supporting arm. The collar can be moved along the mast in the vertical direction to adjust a tilting angle of the canopy. A crank-driving winder is mounted to a lower end of the mast. An end of a line begins from the crank-driving winder and extends upward through an interior of the mast to the upper end of the mast. Then, the line passes over a first pulley mounted in the upper end of the mast into an interior of the connecting brace. Next, the line passes over a second pulley mounted in the supporting arm into an interior space in the supporting arm. Then, the line passes over a third pulley in an upper hub of the canopy and extends through the upper hub and finally connects to a lower hub of the canopy. The crank-driving winder can be operated to drive the line for opening or closing the canopy. After the canopy is closed, the collar can be moved to a lowest position to reduce the overall volume of the umbrella. However, operation of the crank-driving winder at the lower end of the mast is not convenient for users. Furthermore, the line has several bends between the mast and the lower hub, leading to difficulties in moving the line.
Thus, a need exists for a sunshade or umbrella that allows easy adjustment in a tilting angle of the canopy and that allows easy operation of folding/unfolding of the canopy.